Olympic gymnast Zhou Yaqin was spotted helping out at her family’s business in China just a week after winning silver in Paris.
The 18-year-old was seen serving dishes to customers, who apparently barely noticed her, at her mother’s restaurant in her hometown of Hengyang in Hunan province on Thursday.
“Remember the cute Chinese gymnast Zhou Yaqin? After winning the Olympic silver medal, she returned to her parents’ house for a vacation,” an account calling itself “Shanghai Panda” posted on X alongside pictures of the gymnast.
“Of course you can’t call it a vacation, because she needs help working at the restaurant her parents run.”
People on social media praised Yaqin for his humility despite having only recently triumphed in front of the world.
Viral footage shows silver medalist Zhou Yaqin serving dishes at her family’s restaurant in her Olympic attire on Thursday
“That’s why discipline plays an important role in the lives of champions like her,” said one Instagram user.
‘Their upbringing is such that they remain humble and down to earth.’
“So inspiring to see,” another person wrote, while another added: “She’s just showing off her mom’s restaurant, much respect.”
Yaqin also shared a snapshot of a wall of all her gymnastics achievements at her family’s restaurant on popular Chinese social media platform Weibo: “I recommend everyone to come and visit my family’s restaurant.”
Yaqin went viral at the Olympics after imitating her fellow podium finishers by biting her medal.
She won silver in the women’s balance beam event at the Paris Olympics, scoring 14.100 in the final, just 0.766 points below her qualifying score (14.866).
She lost to Italy’s Alicia D’Amato, but went viral during the medal ceremony as she imitated her fellow podium finishers by biting her medal in front of the cameras.
Yaqin also competed in the women’s individual floor and all-around events for the Chinese team at the Olympics, although she did not win any additional medals other than her single silver.
Earlier this year, Yaqin won a silver medal at the World Gymnastics Championships.